


dragon sight

by orbitalknight



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, Mid-Canon, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orbitalknight/pseuds/orbitalknight
Summary: Traveling on the long road to parley with Hraesvelgr has been giving Etienne Penne far too much time to think.(Contains minor spoilers for Heavensward, and references the DRG 50 quest.)
Relationships: Warrior of Light/Estinien Wyrmblood
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	dragon sight

Etienne Penne was distracted. 

Well, mayhap it was more accurate to say he’d _been_ distracted, that his attention had been notably elsewhere since long before he and his friends and their traveling companions had cleared the hills of Sohm Al and begun their trek up to the Churning Mists. He’d grown up in the Black Shroud, so navigating the rocks and foliage was not in the slightest redirecting his attention, the downside of this expertise being that for once despite his shorter stature he was easily keeping pace with the object of his distraction. 

Even through the clouds, the sun bounced lances off light of the Drachen Mail that Estinien Wyrmblood wore, picking through the trees and shrubbery of the Dravanian wilderness with a determined sort of speed. He paused on a flatter patch of ground, letting out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl. 

Etienne wished he could blame the altitude for his shortness of breath. 

He’d made many attempts to reconcile the feeling, sounding out in his thoughts exactly how he’d explain the way he felt, and why, but he always stumbled over the fact that Estinien had very much tried to fight him to the death and if anything it had made Etienne like him _more._ When Aymeric had introduced the Azure Dragoon in Camp Dragonhead’s intercessory, Etienne’s heart had lurched like it’d been thrown off a chocobo’s back. On the Steps of Faith he’d stepped back to admit it, that he was more than infatuated at having met an Ishgardian now that he was friends with several, and in fact uniquely smitten with one Ser Estinien. It had only been worse when he’d pledged his lance to their cause in Ishgard, _in Ishgard,_ and now they were on a grand quest together and Etienne would be lucky if his heart didn’t give out before they finished it. He could do aught but hope his longing glances weren’t altogether too obvious. 

“Etienne.” The voice snapped him out of his recollections of Estinien to see the man before him gesturing at a tree, “Branch.” 

Etienne went red across his cheeks. He would’ve walked right into the offending leafy limb, if Estinien hadn’t stopped him. He ducked beneath it, muttering a “thank you.” 

Instead of walking ahead, Estinien waited until Etienne was beside him to continue on and up the path. The Elezen man’s expression was difficult to decipher beneath the Drachen helm. “You will need your wits about you when we parley with Hraesvelgr. If aught troubles your concentration, I would hear it.” 

Etienne floundered at the question. _It’s you, godsdammit!_ But, he conceded, there was another matter that warranted mentioning. “If you must know, something has been troubling me since we defeated Tioman.” 

“Go on.” In the distance, Alphinaud seemed to be proclaiming that he was fine, and had only tripped a little. 

“When the wyrm was dead, and we heard the roar echoing through the mountain... The wrath of Nidhogg through the Eye brought you to your knees, and I...” Etienne’s eyes shifted down to his boots, “I must admit to you that I did not feel anything.” 

Estinien made a sound that could be either thoughtful and frustrated. Confused, even? Etienne took it as leave to continue talking. 

“I know that being the Azure Dragoon entails a great responsibility to Ishgard and her peoples, including staying apprised of the Horde’s movements, but thus far you have seemed far more equipped to handle the latter. What I mean is,” Etienne skipped a few steps ahead, looking up at Estinien from the front rather than the side, “Even if the Eye awoke for me, I know not how to use it properly. Would you teach me? I would not do a disservice to the title we share.” 

The visible part of Estinien’s face drew into a frown. “Aye, that may well be cause for concern. But this is not the time nor place to speak on it further.” Estinien pushed past Etienne and into the greenery, resuming his march up the hill. 

Etienne was tempted to ask when that time would be, if ever. Still, it was probably best if he did not, and instead focused on avoiding running into any more branches. 

With a sigh, he adjusted his suspenders and followed after Estinien. 

***

Beyond the village of Moghome, and through the Landlord colony, their group came at last to a round set of ruins in the Four Arms, both Zenith and Asah within view from the hilltop. As the sunlight slowly faded from the floating isles, Ysayle was preparing her stew, and Alphinaud was off collecting firewood, doubly supervised. Etienne had already asked Ysayle twice if there was aught he could do, and she had become distinctly less amused in her second refusal. So he stood a few yalms away, fidgeting with the beads on his wrists and staring up at the enormous structure that was Zenith. 

The distinctive clink of armored plates against one another roused him to attention. Etienne turned his gaze from the skybound spires to Estinien, who now stood at his shoulder. But his fellow dragoon’s gaze drifted east, towards the electrified mass in the distance that was Nidhogg’s lair. Etienne did feel something, looking at it, but more a sensation akin to tinnitus than being able to discern a dragon’s emotion. But considering the business with the Moogles and the Elder Seedseer, Etienne wouldn’t have been surprised if Estinien had forgotten their conversation from the Sohm Al wilds completely. He had, of course, assured Kan-e-Senna that he was keeping a more than adequate eye on Estinien, and she had smiled in a manner that could only be described as _knowingly._

“You still sense nothing?” Estinien had noticed Etienne’s redirection of attention, evidently, even if his direction was slightly off. 

Etienne shook his head. “Not nothing. A faint ringing, but that is all.” His gaze drifted down to the grass. “I am sorry. It is as I said before.” 

Estinien made an indistinct noise that could have been a choice word. “With me.” He marched up the hillside to the north of the clearing, and Etienne hurried to follow after him. 

Over the hill was a smaller ruin, half a circle with a raised wall that at one time may have stood taller than the six or so fulms it did now. Ysayle and the camp were visible around the bend, but the spot was slightly more secluded. Etienne’s heart, against his will, started to pick up its pace. 

Estinien motioned to a spot on the half-buried stone tiles, then took a final look around before retrieving the Eye from wherever it was he kept it. Etienne moved to the place that Estinien had pointed to, which put them ... close together, to say the least. 

“I will make no pretense as to being a teacher,” Estinien said, “But I doubt not our cause would be better served by two who can use the Eye. Place your hands upon it.” 

Etienne inhaled a tentative breath, but did as he was asked. Estinien was lucky to wear his gauntlets– Etienne’s immediate reaction was one of repulsion at the _wetness_ of Eye. It was heavier than he expected, and warmer. It pulsated with heat, the aether it radiated visible in the air. And there, at the edge of his consciousness, a whisper... He reached for it, like he would an aetheryte, pulling at the threads. 

The ringing that Etienne had heard before magnified with a sudden intensity, not unlike when his Echo manifested. But this was a distinctly malignant ringing, pounding against his skull, it was all Etienne could do to keep standing. It was a song, of course, the ledger on which dragons wrote their history, but the melody was discordant, notes wrought with hate and hellfire. 

_“Etienne.”_ Estinien’s voice cut through the sound, as well as the sensation of hands upon Etienne’s, oh hells, Etienne couldn’t even appreciate that for the ringing, “Focus.” 

_Easier said than done._ Still, Etienne closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He directed his attention to the cold of Estinien’s gauntlets atop his hands, letting the sensation ground him. The song still battered his mind, but he let it drift, waited for the waves of wails and words to pass by. It could be naught but Nidhogg’s voice, rumbling on the death of his consort, of the mortals who he knew would be so foolish as to challenge him in his lair, how they would perish...

“I can hear it!” Etienne opened his eyes, “It’s just as you described, Estinien! The wyrm is on his guard, and– Agh...” Those few seconds of weakness had been enough, the pounding returned as violently as before. 

Before Etienne had a chance to re-center, Estinien pulled the Eye out of his hands, securing it once more while Etienne caught his breath. 

Though the ringing was for the most part gone, now, at least, Etienne could hear the voice beneath it. And his hands were shaking, which was a little embarrassing. Etienne tried to still them, his gaze once again drifting to the Northeast, before changing course to look up at Estinien. 

“Hells, to think that’s what you feel constantly... Can I do aught to ease the burden?” Etienne thought he might have a headache for the next three days just from those few seconds with the Eye, to say nothing of the fact that Estinien kept on his person at all times. 

“Naught save end this war.” said Estinien. 

Like as not Estinien had meant it as the end of the conversation. But Etienne wasn’t going to relinquish this moment alone so easily. “I do like to hope we’re making progress on that front,” he said, “But for the moment... Could I trouble you to spar with me?” 

Estinien shrugged, “Very well.” 

The sound of lances striking one another echoed through the Four Arms, abating only when Ysayle called that the meal she’d prepared was ready. Estinien’s technique had not much changed from the last time Etienne had crossed weapons with him, though the circumstances were somewhat different now. Still, he was out of breath when they had finished, and could not do much more than nod his thanks to Estinien, who returned the gesture in kind. 

The two crossed over the hill once more, where a fire crackled contentedly over more than sufficient kindling. As tempting as it was for Etienne to sit next to Estinien, he settled instead for a place across the campfire. As Etienne positioned himself on the ground, unrolling the flannel he kept around his waist to lay across the grass like a picnic blanket, he thought he spied the Drachen helm turned in his direction. When he looked up, however, Estinien’s gaze had resumed its eastern trajectory. 

Must have been a trick of the flames. 

***

  
  


“I suppose you were right the first time, then.” Etienne peered up at the dragoon beside him. 

There was no more reason to look eastward, now that the Aery had been cleared and its keeper was slain, even if the wyrm had left behind more questions than answers. They were headed back to Zenith now, and with any luck, Hraesvelgr would have some words to settle the score. The paths of the Churning Mists were not well kept by far, but on the flatter ground and given Estinien’s habit of walking at a considerable distance from the rest of the party, it was taking some effort from Etienne’s rather shorter legs to keep up. 

“What do you mean?” Estinien’s eyes, though it was hard to tell beneath his helm, were fixed on the road ahead. 

“Do you remember when you said to me that you thought you’d found someone worthy to fight Nidhogg with but, er, quickly retracted the statement and made an attempt on my life?” Etienne cast a glance back down the road. 

Estinien’s scowl was apparent enough on the uncovered half of his face, though he seemed to have kept the accompanying growl in his throat this time. “I see not why you would remind me, though I cannot claim the pleasure of having forgotten.”

“That is exactly my point,” Etienne jogged ahead a few paces so Estinien wouldn’t pass him, “You were right! We _did_ fight Nidhogg together, and we won!” 

Estinien stopped, completely silent. It wasn’t at all the reaction that Etienne had expected. That now-familiar “hmph” sound, maybe. Some other wry comment. Another growl, even. 

When Estinien did speak, it was in a voice markedly softer than usual. “Are you seeking some sort of apology?” 

Etienne backtracked to stand next to Estinien, searching for a readable expression beneath the red-stained Drachen mail. “No, I mean... I do not think you owe me one. That is to say, you’re not the first by far when it comes to people who have tried to kill me–” 

“ _Etienne._ ” 

“Yes?” 

“Have you not once considered perhaps seeking company that is less inclined to do you harm?” 

“Well, that’s...” Etienne cleared his throat, “I rather like my current company, you see. Including, if not especially, you.” 

Estinien heaved a sigh. “Fury take me, you’re no better than Aymeric.” 

Etienne frowned. “Is that a compliment?” 

There was the “Hmph.” that Etienne had been expecting earlier. Estinien set off down the road again, at just as quick a pace as before. Before he strode ahead out of sight, Etienne managed one last look under the crimson helm. He could have been mistaken, but it seemed as though Estinien was _smiling._

Now that was a distracting thought. And here there were too few nearby branches to keep it out of Etienne’s head.

**Author's Note:**

> ok i know this isn't the next chapter of the other thing i have going but a very fun fact about this piece is that the last scene was actually the first little etienne/estinien thing i ever wrote... i did rework it a little, but when you look at it that way this piece has been in progress a while longer. or something. 
> 
> it was... honestly a bit of a struggle to write a less comfortable and affectionate dynamic between the two of them, even if that was something i was curious to explore! 
> 
> as usual, for those curious, here's etienne's lodestone profile: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/30250148/


End file.
